


solace

by threadoflife



Series: sherlock ficlets [17]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Whump, solace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 21:56:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9923795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/threadoflife/pseuds/threadoflife
Summary: John learns to find solace in Sherlock.





	

**Author's Note:**

> copied from http://wssh-watson.tumblr.com/post/157355891057/it-takes-a-while-to-begin-but-begin-it-does-its...
> 
> John!whump is my jam it seems

It takes a while to begin, but begin it does.

It’s quiet, the first time it happens. Sherlock is on his back on the sofa staring at the ceiling, and when he comes back to himself John is kneeling on the floor with his cheek on Sherlock’s stomach. His breathing is too light, and his eyes are squeezed shut. Sherlock’s shirt is fisted in his fingers. He doesn’t say a word.

Sherlock says nothing, either. He just cups John’s skull with his right hand and begins to stroke the fingers of his other hand through the fine, short hair, from forehead to the back of the neck. And repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

After twenty minutes of this, John’s breathing eases. He hides his face in Sherlock’s shirt, sniffs once into it, then rubs his eyes with the back of his hand and gets up. He clears his throat, gives a barely perceptible nod to Sherlock, and continues doing what he’s done before, as if the whole scene never happened.

Sherlock pretends it never happened.

The second time is easier. The second time, John plunks down beside Sherlock on the sofa and asks, “Can I?” with hunched shoulders and a tense back.

Sherlock says, “Yes,” and continues reading the article.

John lies down with his head in Sherlock’s lap. He takes Sherlock’s hand and holds it to his chest. He squeezes it.

Five minutes later, that hand is holding John’s cheek, and a thumb is stroking mindless little circles over John’s jaw.

After that, it just happens. WIthout words, John seeks solace in Sherlock. When he stands too close to Sherlock in the kitchen and bumps into him for the third time, Sherlock knows to pull him into an embrace that will last for at least three minutes.

John likes Sherlock’s chin on his head.

John likes Sherlock’s hand splayed on his back.

John likes Sherlock’s mouth on his cheek, kissing the salt away in the night.

John begins seeking solace in Sherlock.

If there was anything Sherlock ever did that mattered, it is this.


End file.
